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13 April 2006
Mr. President,
Students and Friends,
It is a great pleasure for me to talk on China's views and positions on international security situation.
Part I. Our Views on the International Security Situation
We, in China, believe the international situation in the new century has remained stable.
Cooperation among major countries is getting increasingly stronger, countries pay more attention to exchanges and cooperation in security issues, and various regional security mechanisms display unprecedented dynamism.
However, uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing in the international security arena, and some potential dangers and challenges still linger on. They are mainly evident in the following three aspects:
Firstly, non-traditional security issues have become increasingly acute. Terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), transnational crimes, epidemics and other threats are rising, posing challenges to international peace and security.
Secondly, regional conflicts and other traditional security problems remain a threat to peace, stability and development of many countries. Disputes and conflicts in some regions over ethnic, religious, territorial and other issues remain frequent.
Thirdly, hunger, poverty and social injustice are major elements affecting regional security and stability.
In the cause of globalization, the gap between North and South is growing, and many poor countries are being marginalized.
World Bank development reports show that presently, nearly half of the global population lives on less than two dollars a day, 1.2 billion of whom live on half of that. These problems, if unsettled, will become lasting threats to security.
Countries should abandon the mentality that seeks security advantages with military might.
Instead, they should embrace a new security concept with mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation.
When interests of all countries become increasingly intertwined, it is difficult for any country to attain its security goals single-handedly. We need the rule of law in global affairs and more democracy in international relations.
Greater multilateral cooperation and the leading role of the UN in safeguarding world peace and security help us to cope effectively with security threats and maintain common interests.
China's national security environment in this pluralistic, diversified and interdependent world has on the whole improved, but new challenges keep cropping up.
The rise of the "Taiwan independence" forces, the technological gap resulting from Worldwide Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), the risks and challenges caused by the development of the trends toward economic globalization, and the prolonged existence of unipolarity vis-a-vis multipolarity - all these will have a major impact on China's security.
Nevertheless, China is determined to safeguard its national sovereignty and security, and join hands with the people around the world in advancing the cause of peace and development for mankind.
Part II. New Approaches for New Security Challenges
China has all along stood for a new security concept.
In the latter half of the 1990s, Chinese leaders explicitly put forward a new security concept centering on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and co-operation.
They urged that the purposes of the UN Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence be made the political basis for international security, co-operation and common development.
They called for the common efforts of all countries to create an international environment of long-term stability.
Based on such new security concept, China's security policy aims at preserving the country's state sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, while serving its economic development by maintaining a stable international environment.
This policy has three objectives:
One, to maintain China's stability and development;
Two, to maintain peace and stability in the surrounding areas;
Three, to promote international security dialogue and co-operation.
On the basis of safeguarding our sovereignty and ensuring development, we stress the peaceful nature of our foreign policy, the defensive nature of our military strategy, the co-operative nature of our international security policy, while recognising and respecting the diversity of the world.
Meanwhile China's national defense construction is aimed at safeguarding security and unity of the country and ensuring smooth advancement of economic development.
China refuses to join any military alliance or engage in any arms race. China does not seek spheres of influence nor sets up military bases overseas.
China opposes the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other WMDs and stands for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.
China has promised in explicit terms not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon countries or regions. This policy will remain unchanged.
At the end of 2005, we concluded the 10th round of disarmament since the founding of the People's Republic, adding the total number of reduced troops to almost 2 million over the past two decades.
Part Ⅲ. China's Foreign Policy
The Chinese Government pursues an independent foreign policy of peace.
In the 21st century, while sticking to its objectives of world peace and common development, China has put forward some new thinking and propositions in diplomatic practice, enriching its independent foreign policy of peace.
Dedicated to promoting peace, stability and prosperity in Asia.
Committed to building good neighborly relationships and partnerships and implementing the policy of creating an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, China has played an important role in maintaining regional peace and promoting common development in Asia.
China has proved itself to be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of the surrounding countries.
In the wake of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the Chinese Government and people responded swiftly in expressing sympathy with the governments and people of the afflicted countries and providing the largest-ever foreign relief program since the founding of New China.
With respect to the Korean nuclear issue, China has acted in the overall interests and worked tirelessly in putting together first the Three-Party Talks and then Six-Party Talks, thus keeping tension in the Peninsula from escalating and contributing constructively to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.
China's development has become a significant part of Asian rejuvenation.
Since 1996, China has contributed up to 44% of Asian economic growth. In 2004, China's trade with the rest of Asia stood at US$665.03 billion, accounting for 57.6% of the country's total foreign trade.
Making the best of China's development by expanding the cooperation with it has become the unanimous choice of other Asian countries.
Strengthening solidarity and cooperation with developing countries.
China has worked hard to promote South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue, exploring new areas and new ways of mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries.
We continue to provide assistance within its capacity to developing countries.
China has provided tariff breaks to the least developed countries in Asia and Africa, and cancelled the debt owed by 38 developing countries there in the amount of RMB13.778 billion.
China has facilitated the launch of the China-Africa and China-Arab cooperation forums.
Ensuring stability and expansion in the relations with developed countries in the interest of greater strategic stability in the world.
China has established partnerships of various forms with the world's major countries, while striving to expand common ground with them, properly handling differences and working together to safeguard and promote world peace and prosperity.
China-US relations have maintained stability and growth.
Dialogues and exchanges at the various levels have improved mutual understanding and mutual trust.
The two countries have strengthened dialogue and cooperation in the economic, scientific, technological, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, regional security and other fields, which serves not only the fundamental interests of the two countries but also peace and stability in the world.
The strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia continues to deepen, as the leaders of the two countries have kept up close exchanges in mutual trust and mutual respect.
Bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, military, energy and other areas has grown steadily.
The two countries have worked in close coordination and cooperation on regional and international concerns, promoting in concerted efforts multilateralism and greater democracy in international relations.
The overall strategic partnership between China and Europe has become richer in substance. China maintains close high-level contacts with the EU and its member states.
In 2004, China emerged as the EU's largest trading partner and EU China's second largest. Bilateral exchanges and cooperation in culture, science, technology, education and the environment are thriving.
As neighbors separated only by a strip of water, China and Japan have enjoyed close economic cooperation and frequent personnel exchanges.
China attaches importance to China-Japan relations.
In the face of the complex political relations in recent years, China maintains that the two sides, the leaders of the two countries in particular, should act in the strategic and long-term interests.
They should strictly abide by the principles enshrined in the three bilateral political documents and,
They should follow the principle of "taking history as a guide and looking to the future", step up exchanges and cooperation and create conditions for steady and sound development of bilateral relations by removing obstacles.
Vigorously conducting multilateral diplomacy for closer international cooperation.
China has taken an active part in the work of the United Nations, and conducting extensive international cooperation in such fields as counter-terrorism, arms control, peacekeeping, development, human rights, law-enforcement, and the environment.
In the past 15 years, China has sent a total of over 3,000 non-combatant troops, police force and civil officers on 15 UN peacekeeping missions.
China has acted in a principled manner and played a constructive role on the questions of Iraq.
As a participant of APEC, ASEM and other mechanisms, China has made contribution to the related regional and inter-regional cooperation.
Part Ⅳ. Sino-Indian Relations
China and India are friendly neighbors and ancient civilizations.
The Silk Road leaves the footprints of friendly exchanges and learning from each other between the two nations; the journey of Xuan Zang to India paves the way for the communications of soul and exchanges of emotion between the two great civilizations.
On April 1, 1950, the two countries formally established diplomatic relations, opening a new page in the history of bilateral ties.
The two nations cultivated the Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai brotherhood and jointly advocated the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.
Over the past 56 years, with the joint efforts of both sides China-India relations have grown increasingly mature.
Today, both China and India are glowing with vigor and energy.
The bilateral relations face with important opportunities for development.
With similar national conditions, the two nations have respective advantages and share extensive interest and huge cooperation potential.
It is of great importance to the peace, stability and development of Asia and the world at large that China and India join hands to seek common development and benefit a population accounting for two fifths of the world total.
The official visit to India by the Chinese Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Wen Jiabao last April is a complete success.
The visit has further strengthened our mutual trust, deepened the communication and cooperation in various fields.
The two countries have established a China -India Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity, marking a new development stage of bilateral relations.
A major outcome of the visit was the Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China boundary question.
The agreement provides for a political settlement of the boundary question in the context of the overall and long term interests of the two countries.
The two countries agreed to make joint efforts to increase the bilateral trade volume to US$ 20 billion or higher by 2008.
In 2005,the bilateral trade volume has reached 18.7billion US Dollars. I am very confident that we can achieve our goal ahead of time.
Designating the year 2006 as the China-India Friendship Year reflects the aspiration of the two governments and their people to strengthen friendship and expand cooperation.
The two nations will hold a series of activities to carry on the traditional friendship and broaden the mutually beneficial cooperation.
This year, President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory telegrams with President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh respectively on the New Year's Day, drawing the prelude of the China-India Friendship Year.
Currently various activities are being held orderly.
As its close neighbour, China hopes to see a developed, prosperous and strong India.
We share your delight in your achievements in various fields;
We appreciate your efforts in safeguarding the rights and interests of developing countries;
And we are happy to see you are playing a greater and more active role in international and regional affairs.
China and India pose no threat to each other. Instead, we share important responsibilities for peace and security in Asia as well as in the world.
As a responsible member of the international community, China is willing to work with other countries including India in security and other international affairs with a view to ushering in a world of lasting peace and universal security.
Thank You.
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